Let me tell you about Bob

I've been hesitating over writing this since it first came to me on Saturday. I just don't know if it's appropriate to use this man's life as an example, but I can't seem to move past this until I write it down, so here goes...

I participated in a tribute concert for a friend on Saturday. The truth is, he and I were never close, more associates than friends. This man, Bob, is the music director at Cheryl's church. He also spent many years in community theater. The local community theater groups came together this past weekend to perform this tribute concert in Bob's honor because...Bob has cancer. He's been fighting it for about four years now. Worst of all, it's a cancer of the throat, so Bob's singing voice, which was wonderful and which he used to entertain countless people, is gone.

There's two lessons that stand out in this for me. One is that, through this whole ordeal, Bob has remained positive. He continues to direct his choir, despite the fact that he has to rest often. Many people who had been deprived of something important to them, such as the ability to sing, would distance themselves from it, but Bob continues to seek other avenues for his music. And if Bob can carry on in spite of what he is facing, I guess I really have no excuses. Somehow, "I don't feel like working out today", or "My legs hurt too much to ride the exercise bike," seem like pretty wimpy excuses after what I've seen this man go through.

The second lesson is the one I'm conflicted about. But I'll say it anyway. You just don't know how much time you have. Bob had been avidly following his passion for music for a number of years. He never had any reason to suspect that he would lose a large portion of his ability to make and perform music. He just naturally pursued it as if every day that he did it was important. It's a gift to him and to all of us that benefitted from his talents that he was able to accomplish so much before his cancer set in. If Bob had been someone who didn't take every chance to pursue his passion or if he'd been a person who made excuses about not having time or not being good enough or doing it "some day when I have the time", this disease might have struck him down before he ever took the first steps, much less made the amazing journey that he has made.

If you're like me, you probably have been thinking for years that you would get into shape "some day". You might even believe, as I did, that your best years are gone and that your future holds only sore knees, aching muscles, increasing body fat and decreasing muscle. Unfortunately, there is some truth to that. There is a moment when your number comes up. Heart disease, cancer, joint deterioration, alzheimers, diabetes, glaucoma, and any number of other things can suddenly put your "some day" out of reach.

When is "some day"? I'll tell you, it's not some vague future time. It's either now or it's never.